The CNY is known as the Spring Festival in China because the Chinese consider the spring as the beginning of new year. This season is the perfect time for family reunion and get together. According to legend, the celebration began as a way to drive away the ferocious Nin monster, which regularly arrived at midnight of New Years, demanding a snack and could only be driven off by loud noises and lights like those made by firecrackers.
Chinese New Year Custom:
- Chinese New Year is a time when evil spirits, ill fortune and bad luck are swept off. Grudges are forgotten, arguments are settled, old things are thrown out, debts are paid off and lots more. The Chinese will buy new clothes (preferably in red colour) and get hair cuts to symbolize a fresh start for the new year.
- On the streets and in homes they greet one another by clasping and shaking hands and telling each other Happy New Year—Kung hey fat cho (“wishing you prosperity”) in Cantonese or Xin nian hao in Mandarin.
- They give presents like gift-wrapped baskets of delicacies, flowers or small mandarin orange trees. The trees represents wealth. For your information, red is synonym with the festive and decorations. Red symbolizes life, happiness and good luck.
- This next part is the most exciting one, which is Hong Bao. Hong Bao are red packets filled with money and given out to bring good fortune and success and ensure that nobody begin the new year short of cash. Usually the kids will received Hong Bao from the relatives.
Chinese New Year Home Custom:
- Around the house everything has to be cleaned and repaired and all of these must be finished before the festive begins. During the festive, all the brooms must be hidden because the Chinese believe that sweeping at that time will sweep away the good fortune. Other than that, rubbish must be placed outside and no one is allowed to use knives or scissor for the first three days of festive.
- They will also buy paper lanterns, red-and-gold paper holiday decorations, and good luck scrolls to decorate their homes.
- The "elders first" rite is the central ritual of the Chinese New Year. Family members kneel and bow on the ground to everyone older than them: first grandparents, then parents, siblings and relatives, even elderly neighbors.
Chinese New Year Dances:
- This festive are famous with dragon dances and lion dances. Bruce Edward Hall wrote, "The Lion appears, his long, twisting body trailing out behind that huge brilliantly-colored head, both frightening and fantastic with its rolling eyes, his flowing mane, and his snapping jaws ready to consume money offered by store owners eager to have the beast come and frighten those evil spirits away another year."
Chinese New Year Foods:
- New Year feast foods are often served whole;fish with the head and tail, chicken with their head and feet, and whole oranges, all of which are said to bring good luck. Long noodles, which are said to represent longevity, are served uncut. These days salmon is often served instead of traditional carp as the featured fish dish. Some families eat only vegetarian dishes on the first day of New Year and eat only air-cured products on the second day and not forgetting the famous Moon cakes.
The best thing about festive season is we can reunite back with our family and relatives and spend a good time with them. Nowadays, people are too busy working, studying, etc. So appreciate the joy and happiness.
Happy Chinese New Year in advance ! (:
References: Jeffrey Hays, 2008, http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=120&catid=4&subcatid=17 (Last viewed on 1st Feb 2011)
Pictures taken from Google Images.
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